Ficus plant named &#39;black diamond&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Ficus benjamina  designated ‘Black Diamond’, particularly characterized by variegated leaves with very dark green foliage with amorphous, irregularly shaped and irregularly patterned spots of yellow green along the midrib of the leaf. ‘Black Diamond’ is heavily branching with an upright growth habit.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Ficus benjamina

VARIETY DENOMINATION

Black Diamond

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ficusbenjamina. The varietal denomination of the new cultivar is ‘BlackDiamond’. The new variety was discovered as a mutation in a controlledplanting of Ficus benjamina ‘Midnight’ in a greenhouse in s'Gravenzande,The Netherlands in June, 2001.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety is a mutation of the Ficus variety ‘Midnight’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 9,856), and was selected by the inventor, Jan van Geest.The mutation was selected among plants of ‘Midnight’ which were grown ina controlled environment in a glasshouse in s'Gravenzande, TheNetherlands in June, 2001. The new variety was first asexuallypropagated by vegetative cutting in August 2001, in s'Gravenzande, TheNetherlands. Asexual reproduction through succeeding generations hasestablished that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosedfor the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

In comparison to the parent plant, ‘Midnight’, the leaf color of ‘BlackDiamond’ is variegated. The leaves of ‘Black Diamond’ are very darkgreen (near 137 A, new foliage, upper side), with an amorphous,irregularly shaped and irregularly patterned spot of yellow-green (RHS144A) located along the midrib of the leaf. The leaves of ‘Midnight’ bycomparison are 137B (new foliage, upper side). In addition, ‘BlackDiamond’ varies from the parent plant in leaf and petiole size. Theleaves of ‘Black Diamond’ are narrower, 3.5 cm, as compared to 4 cm leafwidth of ‘Midnight’, and shorter, 9 cm, as compared to 11 cm long leavesof ‘Midnight’. The petioles of ‘Black Diamond’ are shorter,approximately 5 mm in length, as compared to 18 mm long petioles of‘Midnight’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of ‘Black Diamond’ which in combinationdistinguish this Ficus as a new and distinct cultivar from parentcultivar ‘Midnight’ and other Ficus cultivars:

-   -   1. Variegated colored leaves, having a dark green colored leaf        with a yellow-green spot;    -   2. irregularly shaped leaves; and    -   3. irregular patterned spots of yellow-green located along the        midrib of the leaf    -   4. heavily branching, upright growth habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographic drawings show a specimen of the newcultivar as true to color as is reasonably possible. The firstphotographic drawing is a side view of ‘Black Diamond’ in its entiretyshowing the growth habit. The second photographic drawing is a close upof the foliage of ‘Black Diamond’. Phenotypic expression may varydepending on light, environmental and cultural conditions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

‘Black Diamond’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotypic expression may vary with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, day length andcultural conditions, without a change in the genotype of the plant.

The following observations and descriptions are of a plant grown in ashade house covered with plastic wrap providing 73% shade in Homestead,Fla., during the months of January through July, 2003. Color referencesare to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (RHS). The colorreferences are as approximate as possible as color depends to a degreeon horticultural practices such as light level and fertilization rates.

-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—Medium compact, somewhat weeping, upwardly branching,            ascending regularly and richly branching.        -   Growth.—Lateral branches are approximately at a 30 to 45            degree angle to the trunk, but slightly weeping at the top;            maximum height 1 meter.        -   Growth habit.—Heavily branching, upright.-   Foliage:    -   -   Size.—About 3.5 cm wide by 9 cm long (to leaf tip).        -   Color.—New foliage: upper side green near 137 A, with the            spot along the midrib of leaf being closest to yellow-green            144A; underside 138A with the spot along the midrib closest            to 139C. Old foliage: upper side green 131 with the spot            along the midrib near yellow-green 144A; underside near 137C            with the spot along the midrib near 138D.        -   Shape.—Ovate with acuminate leaf tip slightly coarsely            sinuate and glabrous.        -   Texture.—Smooth, leathery, glossy, underside smooth, matte.        -   Veination.—Single mid-rib vein running from petiole to leaf            tip, convex on underside, light green near 145B.        -   Margin.—Entire, slightly undulate.        -   Serration.—None.        -   Stipules.—Leaves are glabrous.        -   Petiole.—Closest to 144A; about 5 mm long.        -   Disease resistance.—No particular claim observation made.        -   Rachis.—None.-   Wood:    -   -   New shoots.—Color near 144A; smooth.        -   Old wood.—Color near 197B; no flowers or fruit observed to            date.        -   Internode spacing.—About 30 mm.        -   Preferred growing conditions.—20 degrees C. to 32 degrees C.        -   Reproductive organs.—None observed.        -   Temperature range.—To 2 degrees C.

1. A new and distinct variety of Ficus benjamina designated ‘BlackDiamond’, as illustrated and described herein.